Sohal Tang addition

[kylev]

I have a 280g reef tank with the following for fish
Hippo tang 4-5"
Purple tang 3-3.5"
Crosshatch pair 6+"
True perc pair
1 male 2 female flame wrasse (male and one female currently MIA)
Starry blenny
Green spot mandarin
Orchid dottyback
Flame angel
Would a 2.5-3.5" Sohal tang be an addition that could possible work? I've always wanted a sohal and this would be my last addition and I'm willing to take some risk with him but want at least some hope to the addition. What does everyone think, yay or nay??? My next choice would be an achilles but I like the sohal much more

 

[aquaknight]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kylev http:///forum/thread/385107/sohal-tang-addition#post_3376131
I I've always wanted a sohal and this would be my last addition and I'm willing to take some risk with him
Based on that, I would say yes. If you're willing to pull a fish into holding (sump or QT), rearrange the aquascape, and in a worst case find a new home for possible the Sohal, or the problem tankmate(s). The only one that jumps out to me as a possible problem would be the Purple tang.

 

[tangs rule]

The sohal is one of the few tangs I've never owned. Having watched/researched them ALOT - I determined that one is just not the right fit for my tank - I have too many other tangs (5 of them) who all get along very well, and have for years. I've had them in pairs in ~100g tanks, till almost a month ago - when they all went into a 475g. The sohal is very likely the most territorial and agressive tang available, and CAN be very viscous to other tangs AND other large fish. I crossed this fish off my list years ago - as I'd rather have the 5 (6 now) tangs I've got who all get along great in one tank, than 1 or 2 tangs - including A. sohal.
It will likley depend on the one you get - and if your lucky - when he grows up and gets bigger than the blue & purple you've already got - he'll not kill them, but the odds do not favor this.
Instead of A. sohal, I went with blue, powder blue, purple, naso, achilles, and just got a baby orange shoulder.

The orange shoulder - being about the MOST docile tang available - should fit right in to the 475g when he comes out of Qtine.
Aqua has good advice - be ready to do SOMETHING with someone. Paracanthurus hepatus will likely ingore the new addition. ZebrasomaXanthurum might not like a smaller sohal, but the sohal will one day be 10 or 12" long, and turn the tables on the purple. It has also been reported where the sohal beats up on the milder triggerfishes for food/space competition.
If you go with A. sohal, I hope you get a real mild mannered one!

 

[rcreations]

I've had my Sohal for 1 1/2 years now. The only fish it really had a problem with was a large Naso tang which I had to give away because of it. Other than that, it also doesn't like the Foxface, but it's not bad, only rarely it gives a quick chase but nothing else. Over the time I've had it, I noticed a few things... it'll go after large fish that it finds threatening, it never bothers with smaller fish. It needs to be the alpha fish in the tank, otherwise you got problems. Right now my tank has a good balance, but the Sohal is the alpha no doubt about it. The other fish just get out of the way.
My opinion... if you get one, make sure it's a lot smaller than your other tangs.

 

[kylev]

Thanks for the input everyone
This is a real tough decision, I'd hate to sacrifice the happiness of my other tangs or fish for the sohal but would love to keep one. I'd also hate to re aquascape since I have 300+ pounds of LR with coral spread throughout. How do you guys feel an achilles would fit in? Would you say that'd be my last large fish addition or could there be room for another? I want to keep my corals happy so a bioload on the higher side isn't really an option. I also have 150-200 pounds of LR in my sump with a in sump reef octopus rated to 480gallons (I believe thats the rating) Thanks

 

[kylev]

Thanks for the input everyone
This is a real tough decision, I'd hate to sacrifice the happiness of my other tangs or fish for the sohal but would love to keep one. I'd also hate to re aquascape since I have 300+ pounds of LR with coral spread throughout. How do you guys feel an achilles would fit in? Would you say that'd be my last large fish addition or could there be room for another? I want to keep my corals happy so a bioload on the higher side isn't really an option. I also have 150-200 pounds of LR in my sump with a in sump reef octopus rated to 480gallons (I believe thats the rating) Thanks
NOT SURE HOW THIS REPLIED TWICE BUT O WELL

 

[tangs rule]

That's a much easier fit - I keept an achillies with a purple in a 100g for almost 3 years, while the achilles grew up some. The purple was purchased at about 3 1/2 inches and the achilles was much smaller - like barely over an inch. They got along fine from day one. The naso I have spent a little time with them just to test if they'd all get along one day - that test was over a year ago, and it worked....The only sign of aggression between the 5 tangs I have when I put them together in the big tank was the powder blue & purple - but once they realized they were no longer in a small tank, and there's ALOT more room they get along just fine. The slight signs (tail posturing/flashing) lasted only an hour. They all have been doin great together for a month now.
The achilles is my favorite tang, and the prettiest tang imo. He is also pretty mild natured and one of the coolest to watch. They kinda bounce when they swim and are a treat to watch roam the tank. Mine eats like a horse and was the first to nip at raw collard greens - and has trained the others to do the same now.
On a similar subject Kylev - how do you like your crosshatch triggers? How do they do in a reef? would you only have them in a pair or single be OK? any corals they are prone to nip at? I have them on my "maybe" list, and would love your input!! thanks in advance - tr

 

[tangs rule]

O and to finnish your questions:
As far as you being able to add 1 more large fish or not - your probably close to being "done" after the addition of the achillies or sohal. I know about keeping the bioload low as possible - so I'd probably add the achillies then see how the system does over 6 months or so. With the ammount of LR you have in the DT & sump - with a good skimmer it's very possible you could get away with 1 more though (after this next addition). Just remember - in 5 years or so, the blue tang will be about 8-9 long, the purple likely 6+. The triggers should add another 2 or so inches to their legnth, and an achillies will get as big as a purple in the home aquarium, about 6-7". Just plan for their growth some, but as the tank matures with age - it should keep up well with increased bioload of the growing fish., aso
How much more messy eaters are the corsshatches - as compared to a tang?

 

[kylev]

tangs rules, thanks for the tips. I think I'm leaning towards the achilles and then will leave it at that for large fish. I'd love to have the sohal but hate to risk the other tangs and would really hate to have a problem occur over time after I've came attached to the sohal. Since I've been going back and forth between the two I think the achilles is a much safer bet and still a tang I really like. As far as the crosshatches go, I love them. They are fun as a pair because the female stays fairly close to the male. I'd say they are a bit more of a messy eater than a tang but the other fish in the tank do a good job of cleaning up anything left behind. My hippo gets right in the mix of them for food. The male seems to only like larger pieces of food while the female will eat anything she can get a hold of. As far as personality and coloration go they are amazing fish. I'll try to post some recent pictures tomorrow or you can check out my thread in the agressive forum to see some shots of them. I'd highly reconmend a pair, but if your on the edge a male would do just fine, I'm just not sure how happy they are alone. PM me if you need a good source with very resonalble pricing. PM me if you have a good achilles connection, I'd like one 2.5-3" from a good source since they arn't the hardiest fish.

 

[srfisher17]

If you get the Sohal, there's no need to re-aquascape. The Sohal is going to be the last fish, and defiantly the alpha fish anyhow. Re-aquascaping works when a territorial fish makes it impossible to add anything. I love Sohals, but can imagine the Crosshatches as being his main target. Having that magnificent pair of fish in hiding half OF THE TIME WOULD BE QUITE A SACRIFICE.

 

[kylev]

srfisher....thanks for the input the achilles keeps becoming more and more the choice I'm going to make. There's just way to big of a chance for a bad output
On another note. My DT tested today at temp 80, spec gravity 1.025, AM 0, PH 8.34, Nitrites 0, Nitrates ~30, Phosphates 0, Calc, 520, alk 9, but my acans have been closed up for a few days now, any ideas? I have two ati 48" 6x54 T5HO's. They are in the same spot they always have been and were steadily looking great before. Everything else in the tank is thriving

 

[tangs rule]

I'd say the trates are a bit too high. I prefer never to see anything above 20, and 10 is a better upper limit for my tanks. If ~30 is a spike in your system - i'd say that's likely it.

 

[kylev]

They were up to 40 for a couple days but other than thats its as high as they've reached. I've been doing about 3, 40 gallon w/c's a week to help get them down but it's been a tough battle. Any other suggestions? I have chaeto in my refugium but it hasnt been growing to great. The total system has probabley over 450 pounds of LR and dont have much more room to add anything there either.

 

[simone58]

Hello!
Got a Sohal to sell. Proper bully, only about 10cm long. Feeds from hand. Very handsome & robust. Cost £110 a year ago, make me an offer, need to rehome him so my other fish can come out to play!